Granite Countertops in Seabrook Island, SC

Just 25 miles from downtown Charleston, Kiawah and Seabrook islands are the destinations for anyone looking to escape the bustle of the city.

These islands offer so much more than beautiful beaches. They have sports, spas, top restaurants and amazing shopping.

We've compiled a guide for tourists and locals drawn to the islands' natural beauty. Whether you like fine dining or a relaxed day on the golf course or the beach, we have a guide for you.

Explore

The two barrier islands each offer world-class golf courses that have been featured in major sporting events. Anyone looking to live out their professional golf fantasy can find a home at Kiawah Island Golf Resort’s Ocean Course. The resort has twice hosted the PGA Golf Championship, in 2012 and in 2021.

The resort renovated all of its courses in preparation for the 2021 tournament which brought thousands of fans to the island.

Those looking for a golf membership should also consider the Seabrook Island Club. The club's two courses, Ocean Winds and Crooked Oaks, are open to members, group outings and events.

The two islands aren't just for golfers; they also feature world-class beaches. Kiawah alone has 10 miles of beaches. The Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission operates Beachwalker County Park, the only beach on the island open to the public.

Seabrook's Pelican and North beaches also offer views of the sunset and sunrise, although they are not open to the public. The rest of Kiawah's beaches are privately owned, so those looking for a longer stay should consider all-access options.

The islands are also a great place to explore Lowcountry wildlife. Those looking to get up close to dolphins should visit the northernmost tip of North Beach during low tide at Seabrook or Captain Sam's Inlet on Kiawah. Bottlenose dolphins are known to strand-feed there — a technique the dolphins used to trap fish and drive them onto sandbars and shorelines.

Kiawah's brackish and freshwater ponds are also home to alligators throughout the island. They can be seen lying on pond edges, basking in the sun.

The islands also serve as nesting grounds for sea turtles. From mid-May through early August, female turtles come ashore to lay anywhere from 100 to 150 eggs in nests they dig in the sand. Island patrol members and wildlife officials work to protect the nests from human interference throughout the season.

Shopping

Interested in shopping? All Kiawah visitors need to do is travel to Freshfields Village near the island's entrance.

It has a plethora of high-end clothing chains such as Lilly Pulitzer, Vineyard Vines and Johnny Was. It also has boutiques such as Signature Oak, SHOWROOM and Holly & Brooks.

There are shops offering apparel and wares for both men and women, including Southern Tide, and stores for outdoor enthusiasts, such as SeaCoast Sports and Outfitters.

Seabrook also offers many shopping options for visitors. Seabrook Shoppe offers an array of souvenirs.

Eat and drink like a local

The islands have restaurants for every type of foodie.

Kiawah offers high-end fare such as Jasmine Porch and The Ocean Room at the Sanctuary hotel.

People can also visit Beaches & Cream for coffee and dessert or grab Italian food at Tomasso at Turtle Point.

The island also offers more casual eateries like La Tela Pizzeria, Fuji Sushi Bar & Grill for Japanese lovers, and Cantina 76 for Mexican fans.

Seabrook boasts relaxed food like McCann's Irish Pub and Kiss Cafe.

SEABROOK ISLAND — Three decades after a plan to create a 400-slip marina through a canal and lock project on Johns Island was rejected, a scaled-down proposal calls for a private yacht club on nearly 18 acres in the same general area on Bohicket Creek.

Conservationists and several area residents oppose the development called Andell, but Seabook Island's Planning Commission voted 4-1 on July 12 to recommend annexing the site and zoning the property for a mixed-used development. Town council will have final say.

Bohicket Creek Investors LLC of Charleston wants to build a boat dock with a private clubhouse, boathouse and poolhouse along with outdoor amenities and 10 rental cottages for members and the public at 4484 Betsy Kerrison Parkway.

"Annexing gives Seabrook future control of the site," said Mike Shuler, the property owner's principal and managing partner. "It will substantially limit future development of the site."

The property, currently zoned for agricultural and residential use in unincorporated Charleston County, would allow "a variety of agricultural and light industrial uses ... which could have significantly greater impact on the existing natural features than the proposed development," according to the town's planning staff, which recommended conditional project approval.

Real Estate

Among those opposing the project is the Coastal Conservation League.

Robby Maynor, the Charleston-based environmental group's communities and transportation program director, said the project is outside the region's "urban growth boundary" and called the proposed development "a step in the opposite direction" of protecting rural acreage.

He also cited potentially adverse effects from pollution runoff into Bohicket Creek, increased boat traffic and encroachment into critical habitat areas.

A half dozen others cited similar concerns before the Planning Commission's vote. The board also noted it had received more than 500 comments about the proposal with the vast majority in opposition.

Proponents of the project said that the property's current zoning allows multiple uses than what's being proposed, that the town will have more control over the property if it is annexed and that the development will provide recreational opportunities.

Get the best of the Post and Courier's Real Estate news, handpicked and delivered to your inbox each Saturday.

Email

The project's name is similar to a proposed development from 30 years ago called Andell Harbor that called for a massive earth-moving operation with a man-made channel connecting to a large marina. State environmental regulators eventually nixed the idea in the mid-1990s.

The yacht club site is beside Bohicket Marina, which also is owned by Shuler's group, and the two would be connected by a boardwalk and road. The planned entrance to the new development is across from Kiawah Island Town Hall.

Cottages would flank both sides of the drive leading to the yacht club.

Plans show the development on about 4 acres of the site near the creek. The rest of the property would be set aside as open space, including a 75-foot wooded buffer next to the parkway and a 20-foot vegetated area next to the northwest parcel in the county.

The site also would include a public boardwalk, pathways and a community crabbing dock.

Bohicket Creek Investors bought the tract in 2021 for $5.6 million, according to Charleston County land records. Nearby properties include Freshfields Village Shopping Center.

Real Estate

Bohicket Marina, which is in the town of Seabrook Island, is southwest of the proposed development.

If the property is annexed into the town, it would tie into the town's sewer system, with St. John's Water Co. proving water service

The yacht club would be separate from the community and recreational facilities provided by Seabrook Island Property Owners Association and Seabrook Island Club.

Town Council is scheduled to review the proposal on Aug. 22. The measure requires a public hearing and two majority votes in separate meetings to pass.

Seafields

Kiawah Life Plan Village (“KLPV”) and BRP Senior Housing Management, LLC (“Big Rock Partners”) announced that they have secured construction funding and closed on the final round of bond financing to enable construction of Seafields at Kiawah Island, the first of its kind luxury life plan community in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. With over $215M of investment committed, construction is slated to begin in September 2023.

We are thrilled to be bringing this concept to fruition and moving forward with the next steps in the building process. Housing for seniors is becoming an increasing priority as demographic shifts bring additional 65+ residents to the Sea Islands (Johns, Kiawah and Seabrook) and we are excited that Seafields will help fill that need.”

- Todd Lillibridge, Chairman, Kiawah Life Plan Village (KLPV).

Driven by the demand for elevated senior housing and healthcare in sought-after areas, Seafields is the only luxury 62+ Life Plan Community located near Kiawah (named one of the best US islands in July 2023 for the 10th consecutive year by Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards) and Seabrook Islands, and a short distance from downtown Charleston, SC (ranked America’s favorite city for the 11th year in a row – and one of the 25 best cities in the world – in July 2023 by Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards).

It is also within walking distance to Freshfields, the stylish outdoor pedestrian village offering some of the area's best-loved shopping and culinary destinations. Seafields will have 90 independent living residences with distinctively spacious floor plans as well as accommodating assisted living apartments and 24/7 nursing staff. Residents will enjoy a maintenance-free and all-inclusive lifestyle featuring immersive experiences, exclusive partnerships, and high-end amenity and concierge services along with discounts on future healthcare needs guaranteed by the lifecare contract.

With the ever-increasing need for communities in the 62+ age group, Seafields will provide luxury living and world class health care to residents. Bringing this project to fruition with Big Rock Partners has been rewarding and we look forward to welcoming Seafields residents to Kiawah. They will undoubtedly be a vital part of the community.”

- Chris Randolph of South Street Partners, master developer of Kiawah Island.

Seafields at Kiawah Island is almost fully reserved, with only 20 residences remaining. The deposit to lock in an opportunity to live the Kiawah lifestyle in perpetuity is 100% refundable until the Community opens. Those interested can schedule an appointment to speak with Kiawah Island Real Estate before pre-construction pricing ends on September 1, 2023. Construction is slated to be completed by the fall of 2025.

On the Horizon: MUSC Health Sea Islands Medical Pavilion

The nearby MUSC Health Sea Islands Medical Pavilion, slated for an opening in 2025, will offer primary and specialty care services, in addition to emergency care for Seafields residents. In 2021, South Street Partners donated six acres of land to MUSC to meet this identified need for medical services in the Sea Islands and bring a world-class emergency medical facility for those in the community. South Street Partners was honored to make this investment — valued at approximately $6M — as this partnership will bring vital emergency and senior healthcare to the Sea Islands.

About BRP Senior Housing Management, LLC

Big Rock Partners, Seafields’s developer, is a real estate development and investment firm focused on seniors housing. The team is dedicated to building and operating the next generation of luxury housing and amenities for seniors with dependable healthcare services in place for the future. All our properties are built and operated to promote productive and sustained wellness, highlight culinary excellence, utilize smart technology and implement technology services to residents, and provide an engaging selection of sophisticated and intellectual entertainment and social experiences. The management team at Big Rock has skills and experience in all aspects of seniors housing development and operation as well as in capital markets, investment, and real estate development. bigrockpartners.com

About Seafields at Kiawah Island

Seafields at Kiawah Island is the first 62+ luxury Life Plan Community at the renowned resort island. Driven by the demand for elevated senior housing and healthcare in sought-after areas, the $180M facility will feature immersive experiences, exclusive partnerships, distinctively spacious floor plans, high-end amenities, and a first of its kind in-house medical clinic operated by the Medical University of South Carolina. Boasting enviable proximity to Charleston, the Lowcountry’s best beaches – and walking distance to Freshfields, the stylish outdoor pedestrian village offering some of the areas best-loved shopping and culinary destinations – Seafields reimagines the scope of luxury retirement living in an amenity-rich environment. Seafields.com

About South Street Partners

South Street Partners, one of the largest owners and operators of private residential club and resort communities in the United States – including Kiawah Island, Palmetto Bluff, The Cliffs, Naples Grande, Barnsley Resort and Residences at Salamander – is a private equity real estate investment firm headquartered in Charlotte, NC and Charleston, SC. Founded in 2009, South Street, on behalf of SSP GP Fund I, their institutional joint venture partners and co-investment vehicles, has deployed over $1 billion of equity across resort, residential and commercial properties and has over $2 billion of assets under management. South Street acts as a principal investment platform as well as an operating partner and co-investor for institutional partners interested in special situations, opportunistic and value-add real estate investments in the Southeast and Sun Belt regions as well as other select continental US and International markets. SouthStreetPartners.com

About Kiawah Island Real Estate

Kiawah Island Real Estate is the sole real estate brokerage with offices on Kiawah Island, exclusively focused on Kiawah Island properties. Their decades serving buyers and sellers of Kiawah’s properties have made the team of over 50 full-time sales executives and marketing professionals the undisputed authority on the Kiawah Island real estate market. As a premier luxury resort community for high-net-worth individuals, Kiawah is a coveted primary and secondary home destination boasting exceptional single-family residences, villas, cottages and homesites, many with views of the Atlantic Ocean, the Kiawah River, and the surrounding marshlands. Since 1976, they have sold over $8B worth of Kiawah Island real estate. KiawahIsland.com

SEABROOK ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - Seabrook Island neighbors are petitioning their leaders to cap the number of short-term rentals, stating there is overcrowding due to what they called over-tourism, but the mayor said the town has no plans to do so.

Seabrook Island homeowner Ted Flerlage says over 700 of his neighbors want to cap the number of short-term rentals on the island.

“What we’re trying to do is cap, not end the process of short-term rentals, cap at roughly the present numbers, evaluate what happens after that,” Flerlage said, “and then, determine whether or not we should lower the number of short-term rentals.”

As of June 19, there are 484 of these properties on the island, which residents said has led to overcrowding on the island’s streets and amenities.

Mayor John Gregg said for this year, data gathered over the past few months suggest otherwise.

“We’re not going to be looking at imposing limitations on the number of short-term rental units,” Gregg said.

Coastal Getaways owner Nancy Buck said more people are starting to call the island home, and good rentals are full for around 40% of the year.

She says all of her clients are property owners who rent to help offset the costs of the amenities, taxes and insurance.

“We’ve also gone from 35% permanent residents to 60% residents in the last two years,” Buck said. “Twenty-five percent of the properties have turned over since 2019.”

Buck also adds the majority of the amenities are mostly used by members and not rental guests.

However, the homeowners want the town’s government to hear them out.

“I’d like him to reconsider,” Flerlage said. “I’d like him to look at the reality and listen to the people who are property owners here, the residents on the island. You know, 700 people is a big number.”

“Let’s wait and see how this year goes,” Buck said. “They instituted the short-term rental ordinance couple of years ago, or actually, last year, so let’s give it a full year to see how it goes.”

Both Buck and the homeowners said they want to work out their differences over the next several months to come up with a solution that works for everyone.

Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.

A mystery came out of the ocean on South Carolina’s Seabrook Island, and authorities haven’t yet identified what some are calling “space junk.”

The Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network was the first to notice, posting a photo on Facebook of a “mysterious object that washed ashore” on Thursday. The island is about 24 miles south of Charleston.

The object is big, taller than a woman standing nearby, and it’s cylindrical.

It also looks like it’s made of concrete, but Marine Mammal network officials say that’s deceiving. Touch it and it feels like “a soft foam,” said the network, adding that it was quickly whisked away by town officials.

Read Next

October 12, 2017 10:12 AM

The Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network asked for help identifying the object and the Kiawah Conservancy shared the plea on its Facebook page. Dozens of people have responded with guesses ranging from parts of an alien craft to refuse from a “government munition dumping site” in the Atlantic.

“I saw it this morning on my walk,” posted Jennifer Passantino on the Kiawah Conservancy Facebook page. “I assume it was a buoy, but could also be the remains of an alien spaceship.”

The most popular assumption is that the object is part of a NASA rocket, shuttle or “re-entry capsule.”

“Part of the space shuttle Challenger that blew up about thirty years ago. Looks like a rocket nozzle to me,” wrote Jim Elrod on the Mammal Network Facebook page. “Notice the different insulating materials. Take a sample of the insulating material and try to burn it to see if it melts.”

“You may want to contact NASA,” said Barry Dearborn in a Facebook post. “This could be part of the space shuttle Challenger’s External Tank.”

Todd Mason disagreed, noting any part of the shuttle would by now be “covered in marine life.”

“This is either newly introduced to the ocean or was buried deep prior to being dislodged,” Mason said.

In June, the Charlotte Observer reported a similar mystery object -- made of metal -- washed ashore at Corolla. Its use and origin were never reported.

This story was originally published October 5, 2018, 1:44 PM.